Black Catholic Messenger Puts Mass Cancellation in Context of Financial Woes

 

According to a November 18th article in Black Catholic Messenger, this Mass may have been a casualty of cost containing measures at the Chancery.  Administrative cuts resulted in the closure of the Office of Black Ministry.  The article goes on to summarize financial constraints and efforts to address them, including school closings, layoffs and the magnitude of restitution owed victims of abuse now that payment from insurer, Chubb, is in jeopardy.

The article also hints at racial prejudice recalling: 

"The cardinal, who is due to submit his age-mandated retirement request in February, has generated controversy concerning the OBM in recent years, including his response to its Black History Month Mass in 2021. 

The homilist, a Black Jesuit priest in Greg Chisholm—then the pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Harlem—stirred the crowd with an explication of Black struggle and overcoming White racism, but was suddenly relieved of his pastoral duties less than six months later. It is believed that this was due to a negative reaction to his remarks from the chancery."

Still no conversation-stopper from spokesmodel Joseph Zwilling.

Read all about it in Black Catholic Messenger : Archdiocese of New York's Office of Black Ministry closed amid mounting abuse payouts

What? Get up at 6:00 AM every Saturday and say the rosary for the intention of St. Mary's survival? I'm doing it.

The parishioners of St. Mary's believe in the power of prayer.  During the final announcements today a man ascended the pulpit and asked us to pray the rosary every Saturday morning at 6:00 AM in the privacy of our homes for the intention of St. Mary's.

Does the Archdiocese of New York believe in the power of prayer?  Are they saying the rosary in communion at dawn for the intention of transforming 103 South Broadway from St. Mary's to a salable parcel, or do they think it's unnecessary?

Black Catholic History Month Mass cancelled. Why no "Analect of Zwilling" on this one?

 

UWS Spirit's Take on Cardinal Dolan's Update

Photo: Tom Hannigan/Wikimedia Commons

Exclusive: Cardinal Says More Cuts to Follow as Archdiocese Sacks 4% of HQ Staff

Two weeks after selling its HQ to a 

November 8th Update on "Financial Crunch" from Cardinal Dolan

Cardinal Dolan informs us of central staff layoffs, the move to rented offices and pastoral programs operating at the local or parish level, whatever that means.   He invokes Pope Francis' movement toward synodality, saying (my emphasis),  "As I mentioned, many of the pastoral office programs will now operate on more of a parish or local level. This responds to a long-standing preference expressed by our priests and auxiliary bishops and puts us in line with the notion of synondality, so eloquently expressed by our Holy Father, Pope Francis, that the Church should not operate “top-down” but instead be “bottom-up” listening to the voice of the people of God."

Will Cardinal Dolan listen to the people of God when deciding which churches will be relegated to parcels, or will he close the ones with the greatest $$$ yield?  

Dear Family of the Archdiocese of New York, 

Earlier today, the archdiocese began a restructuring of its pastoral offices. At my request, there has been an examination of these pastoral ministries and offices for many months now, under the direction of the Vicar General. As a result of this study and consultation, several offices and responsibilities are being merged, and a number of programs and ministries returned to a more local and parish-based focus. Our goal in all of this is to ensure that we are responding as effectively as possible to the needs of the people we are called upon to serve in the ten counties and nearly 300 parishes that make up this archdiocese.   

This restructuring has, unfortunately, resulted in regrettable lay-offs for some workers at the Cardinal Cooke Building of the Catholic Center and elsewhere around the archdiocese. Such decisions are never easy, but the current financial crunch the archdiocese faces, and the upcoming move to our new offices in 2025, make this the appropriate time to make some tough decisions. I am grateful for the service of all those whose positions are being eliminated. I am also appreciative of the professional and empathetic way that our human resources department has handled this difficult task.

The restructuring is not a one-time event. As with our parish planning, in order for us to be good stewards and administrators, we need to continually evaluate how we are operating and asking if there is a better way forward. We have already seen a reduction in administrative staff, achieved primarily through attrition. It is now standard practice when an employee leaves voluntarily to carefully review that person’s responsibilities to see if they can be absorbed by others before deciding whether or not to hire a replacement.

As I mentioned, many of the pastoral office programs will now operate on more of a parish or local level. This responds to a long-standing preference expressed by our priests and auxiliary bishops and puts us in line with the notion of synondality, so eloquently expressed by our Holy Father, Pope Francis, that the Church should not operate “top-down” but instead be “bottom-up” listening to the voice of the people of God. One way that we will accomplish this, for instance, is by appointing priest chaplains for the various ethnic communities that make up the archdiocese, including the different African, Asian, Hispanic and Latino communities, who will be responsible for organizing special Masses and celebrations, and responding to each community’s unique pastoral needs.

You will not be surprised to learn that there is also a financial consideration to these changes, and we will be saving some money. However, we are also establishing a grant process, so that a good portion of the money saved will be given back to our parishes in the form of grants for ministries for which they may apply. While the precise details are still being worked out, it is my hope that this, too, will help us better respond to local needs and initiatives as they arise, and that this will be a more effective and efficient use of our resources.  

Finally, as we approach our national day of Thanksgiving, know that I give thanks to God each day for all of you and the way you help make the Gospel come alive. Be assured of a remembrance in my prayers.

With prayerful best wishes, I am,

Faithfully in Christ,

+ Cardinal Timothy Dolan

Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan

Archbishop of New York

Are All Masses Equal? St. Mary's/Immaculate Conception Sets a Beautiful Table for All Guests at a Celebration of Christ

 

The children, from toddlers to teens, gathered in front of the altar to receive a special blessing that included their parents, too.

Today I attended the single Sunday Mass at St. Mary's.  The pastor of my geographic parish had summarily dismissed the cantor,  thereby disbanding the choir.  I decided to attend Mass at St. Mary's.  Here are sone the great things I found that are not present in all parishes and should not be taken for granted.

1. A warm welcome.  I was a stranger and an odd one at that, what with my big, white N95 covering most of my face.  Nonetheless I was greeted enthusiastically by one of the numerous green-vested ushers stationed at all of the doors.
2. Generous hospitality.  When I went to get one of the bilingual missalettes I saw that none were left.  So much for poor attendance.  One of the parishioners gave me her daughter's missalette despite my protesting that I didn't want take it from her.
3. A beautiful, appropriate and unusual organ prelude.  The organist played a meditation on the In Paradisum chant.  He later said he did it in honor of All Saints Day, for which there was no Mass at St. Mary's.
4. A large, reverent and participatory procession.  The procession included a crucifer, the lector, the celebrant the altar severs and the Eucharistic ministers.
5. Multiple Mass intentions that embraced the community, living and dead.  One of them was "In Thanksiving to God for Niko Alexander Semkiw’s First Birthday."
6. A special blessing for the children at the end of the Mass.  The future of the church in all ages, shapes and sizes rose and stood in the front of the church for their blessing.

I am going back next Sunday.  If you are too far away, you can watch the livestream Mass on their Facebook page next Sunday at 10:00 AM: https://www.facebook.com/groups/229361075128928/user/100064712856807/

All Soul's Day at Apreiskimo in Williamsburg

ALL SOULS’ DAY - ANNUNCIATION CHURCH

(259 North 5^th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211)

 
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2^nd, 6:30 PM

 

On Saturday, November 2^nd, 6:30PM, Annunciation parish will commemorate All Souls’ Day.  We will remember our parishioners, their relatives and loved ones who have passed away.  We invite everyone to participate and honor the memory of their loved ones who are no longer with us.

 

Annunciation church address: 259 North 5th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (corner of Metropolitan Avenue and Havemeyer Street, near the L and G subways at the Lorimer Street and Metropolitan Avenue subway station).

 

Annunciation parish website: https://www.katalikai.nyc

Mass for Lithuanian Catholic Religious Aid at Transfiguration in Maspeth, November 8, 2024, 2:30 PM

Our Lady of Pompeii, Dobbs Ferry, NY - 89th Annual Spaghetti Dinner Sunday, 10/27/2024 1P-6P

 

Tomorrow the parishioners of Our Lady of Pompeii in Dobbs Ferry will offer warm hospitality, high spirits and heaping plates of spaghetti and meatballs for the 83rd year.  Doors open at 1:00 PM and last admission time is 6:00 PM, so don't dawdle on your way from their 5 PM Sunday Mass.  Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children under 10.  Dinners are also available as takeout.  Proceeds go to Our Lady of Pompeii Church.

Buon appetito!

Who is Letise Balofa?

According to my blog, I live in the Our Lady of Vilnius basement even though it no longer exists.  Truth is, I have been spending a lot of time away visiting churches that are not long for this world.

When I returned from a protracted stay at St. Mary's in Yonkers, I encountered Letise hunched at a table surrounded by periodicals, crumpled pages from a legal pad and several paper cups of diner coffee, some of which had soaked through and were seeping.  She was wearing MY flannel pajamas and smelled a little too much like a human being.

I tend to be extremely territorial so, of course, I challenged her presence.  She produced a letter bearing my signature authorizing her use of the space for her professional activities as a "creative."  It was an obvious forgery, but I honored it because I admired her nerve and her stamina (so many discarded first lines, so much coffee).

Maybe I shouldn't have made this basement, heavily populated with souls that have left this world, sound so appealing.  I'll let her stay as long as she doesn't perturb Lonesome George and Avery Dulles.  John Monaco slipped in here last January.  They will probably squabble when he tries to bus her table.